With all of the cool things Houston has to offer, it is nice to see some others noticing as well. Houston was just names Forbes’ Coolest Cities. Between our jobs, energy, infrastructure, nightlife, and culture; Houston topped the list that included 4 other Texas cities in the top 20. Way to go Houston!

Houston is known for many things: Oil, NASA, urban sprawl and business-friendly policies. But the Texas city deserves to be known for something else: coolness.

The Bayou City may not be the first place you associate with being hip or trendy. But Houston has something many other major cities don’t: jobs. With the local economy humming through the recession, Houston enjoyed 2.6% job growth last year and nearly 50,000 Americans flocked there in response — particularly young professionals. In fact, the median age of a Houston resident is a youthful 33.

The result? Over the past decade, the dreary corporate cityscape has been quietly transforming. Stylish housing developments have popped up downtown, restaurants have taken up residence in former factories and art galleries like the Station Museumhave been inhabiting warehouses.

Combine that with a strong theater scene, world-class museums and a multicultural, zoning-free mashup of a streetscape and you have the recipe for the No. 1 spot on Forbes’ list of America’s Coolest Cities To Live.

Matt is a Principal at Corporate Finance Associates, a mid-market investment bank, in Houston. He is responsible for the marketing and website support of the company. He has a BS from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from Rice University in Houston.